Good morning traders!

In Asia today, the Hang Seng ended the morning session down 207.85 points at
12,923.07. Tokyo markets are closed for a public holiday.

Crude oil was up 6 cents at $51.12 a barrel on Nymex.

Happy Friday!

G.

Morning all. Market reports:

The Times
The Times (Need to know)
FT
The Guardian
The Independent
This is Money

The Obama administrations plans to stabilise the financial system lack essential details and have left markets uncertain about how it intends to recapitalise the US banking sector, the IMF warns in a report issued days before the administration plans to unveil details of its plan for removing toxic assets from bank balance sheets.
IMF criticises US stability plan

The dollar suffered one of its biggest one day falls against sterling on Thursday after record US unemployment figures combined with the Federal Reserve's decision to embark on quantitative easing to put the currency under pressure.
Dollar rattled by Fed's plans and US jobs woe

Commodities prices surged on Thursday and the dollar weakened as investors sought protection against the risk of higher inflation by buying everything from oil and gold to copper and sugar.
Commodities leap on Fed bond plan

British and American plans to spend even more to combat the global downturn are unnecessary and could even undermine economic confidence, European leaders said on Thursday.
Europe stands ground on need for fiscal stimulus in face of calls for G20 to do more

Britain may have endured the worst of the recession, although it is too soon to rule out a more extended economic slump, the Bank of Englands chief economist says today.
Upbeat message from Bank of England economist Spencer Dale

The Bank of England has confirmed it is poised to start buying billions of pounds worth of corporate bonds and commercial paper, meaning it will directly lend money to Britain's biggest companies for the first time in history.
Bank of England to purchase commercial paper as it comes to aid of companies

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) said that if property prices fall by 30 per cent from their peak - as is likely - two million homeowners and 500,000 buy-to-let investors will be in negative equity.
2m homeowners to fall into negative equity, FSA warns

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said that efforts to boost lending, in line with Government demands, had been undermined as savers flock to deposit money with state-owned National Savings and Investments (NS&I) rather than high street banks or building societies.
Mortgage lenders denounce the Government as home loans tumble to an eight-year low

Edward Starling, head of restructuring in Wedlake Bell, the law firm, said many retailers could reveal that they had been trading while insolvent. We might see some directors being pursued for wrongful trading, which could leave them personally liable for some of the losses of the business, he said.
Looming quarterly rent deadline raises threat of eviction for retailers

Further detailed allegations about tax avoidance schemes set up by Barclays Bank emerged tonight from whistleblowers who said the bank made close to 1bn profit a year from a series of elaborate deals.
New whistleblower claims over 1bn Barclays tax deals

Goldman Sachs warned shareholders in its UK-listed fund of hedge funds they would have to wait until 2012 to get all their cash back if they voted against continuing the $522m fund.
Goldman warns against closing fund

A $639m London hedge fund collapsed on Thursday night after the discovery that the main asset of Weavering Capitals flagship fund was a $637m derivatives trade with an offshore company controlled by the funds founder and chief executive.
Weavering Capital collapses

NIKKEI 225	AUSTRALIA ASX200	SHANGHAI	HANG SENG

KOSPI	VIX	GOLD	NYMEX CRUDE

End-of-day Market Overview

Have a great weekend traders!

G.